Rolly Robínson is a personified, real-life figment of the imagination.

Is there any separation between your online persona (s) and real life persona?

My online persona is a direct representation of my real life persona. The lashes, the paint, the looks, the attitude, and the highly curated thought process (alongside the stomach turning handbag collection) is all me. I’m the poster child for the age old phrase “What you get is what you see.”

What is typically involved in creating one of your fabulous looks?

The process of making my looks is the best part! I LOVE nothing more than putting it all together. I’ve always been very hands-on, so the cutting, the gluing (including the battle wounds from my beloved glue gun), the painting… It ALL excites me, and all my looks are such a part of me. The process from beginning to end is very thought out in terms of what it is I’m making and wearing. The makeup on the other hand, sometimes just happens organically. There are times when I’m in the bathroom doing my makeup and I say to myself “I literally have no fucking clue what I’m about to do right now.” The looks that just happen on their own, are some of my favorites because of the unplanned element to them. The time that goes into my looks can be hours up to weeks. Seeing the final result is so rewarding and sharing that with my audience is so much fun, and my favorite part of it. You know that feeling you had when you were 7 years old, and you completed that windmill assignment in art class? Yea, that’s me.

You’re also an artist / illustrator - tell us a little bit about your aesthetic and how you got started?

I’ve been drawing and doing collage since I was 3, and I studied Graphic Design in college. My mom is Puerto Rican, Spanish, and Chinese, so I definitely milk my Asian roots. My aesthetic is very much inspired by Asian culture (predominately Japanese, but I don’t discriminate), and it’s so affluent and present in much of my work. For all of my closest friends, seeing me in a rice hat to run errands and wearing Kimonos to the park is just who I am. I always want what I do to have a quality that can’t be taught. There’s no denying I have expensive taste, and I like my work to reflect that. One doesn’t need to spend the money, but it MUST look like they did. Regardless of what I spend versus what I don’t, I will ALWAYS look the part, and that’s something you can’t be taught. You either have great taste, or you don’t. I segued into makeup at 16 years old, and for me it was easy because of my background in the arts, and it came to me as a new medium to play with. I’ve been making things since I was very young. It’s not really something I learned as much as it is something I was born with.

I see a bit of Prince in your look, a bit of Josephine Baker, Little Richard - who else do you find inspiration from?

If I had a dollar for every time I was compared to the look of Prince, I’d be very wealthy. It’s my favorite compliment though, he’s such a vision and exuded such an essence of glamour and really pushed the boundaries on heteronormative nature, and gender identification. Josephine Baker, an ICON… and Little Richard, absolutely! Thank you very much for that. I don’t really look to other people for inspiration, because I like to find it within myself and or nature and things, BUT individuals like Grace Jones, Tilda Swinton, and Mika Nakashima are some to name a few that I admire for their aesthetic and diverse abilities.

You’re a Southern belle - how has the transition in moving to NYC affected / helped your art?

Growing up in the south really helped to propel me in a direction of fantasy. When you live somewhere that’s not necessarily as “stimulating” as NYC, you have to create that world for yourself. It aided in my obsession with nature and this idea of a parallel universe that can be tapped into through the internal segments of one’s mind. I had a lot of fun living and growing up in Tennessee, and it’s a very important element that shows who I am as an artist. Moving to New York only took what I already knew and evolved it into something else. I often find myself saying “It all makes sense now, I totally get it!” All the things I encountered or experienced slash went through as a kid have all come full circle, and that reminds me that I’m exactly where I should be. It’s a really nice and rewarding feeling.

What are you sick of seeing on Instagram?

Oh gosh… I’m sick of seeing club kids and bad contouring. I don’t know which one is worse. They both are subjects that are getting praise for poor execution and no real taste. Both are messy.

If you could work your magic on any current celeb - who would it be?

I would turn Tilda Swinton out! She’s such a chameleon and genius in her own right. She embodies every character she’s meant to portray and I relate as well as admire that. If she wasn’t available to hang with me, then I would go onto chill with Roisin Murphy. She’s another that I consider a QUEEN!